BEIJING — An international seminar on emergency response and disaster healthcare, jointly held by China’s Ministry of Emergency Management and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), opened on May 27 in Beijing.

Experts from the ICRC and the German Red Cross will share their experience in aspects including field hospitals, chemical, biological and nuclear decontamination, and management of the dead after disasters with more than 80 Chinese first responders at the five-day seminar, the first of its kind.

“It is a pleasure for us to share our international experience and expertise and help to contribute in building the capacity of first-line responders in China,” said Pierre Dorbes, head of the ICRC’s Regional Delegation for East Asia, in a speech at the seminar’s opening ceremony.

“The seminar is part of efforts to improve our capacity of international humanitarian aid and medical assistance in emergencies,” said Liu Weimin, director of the ministry’s international cooperation and rescue department, at the ceremony.

“We believe that the two sides will have multiple opportunities to cooperate in emergency response in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative in the future.”

Gwenaelle Ravon, deputy head of the ICRC’s Regional Delegation for East Asia, told Xinhua that the seminar was designed to meet the participants’ needs and to introduce a comprehensive approach of emergency response.

“The elements in a disaster cannot be taken into consideration separately,” she said, adding that different expertise is needed in emergencies.

She said that after the seminar closes, the organizers will discuss the participants’ feedback to improve their further cooperation.

“We are absolutely convinced that the ICRC and the Chinese authorities can have mutually beneficial cooperation worldwide,” she said.